Where to Stay

Skunkworks Surfboard Co

Our North Coast is renowned for surfing and thousands of people hit the shores annually to get involved in this fast growing sport which is fantastic for physical and mental wellbeing.

Growing up on the coast inspires people in many ways and surfing has certainly inspired two Coleraine brothers to design and manufacture the world’s most robust surfboards.

Chris and Ricky Martin of the Skunkworks Surfboard Co are certainly putting their stamp on the global surfing scene providing surfers all over the world with the most robust, high performing surfboards and paddleboards in the world.

Skunkworks Surfboard Co are proud to offer our tourists to Northern Ireland with the opportunity to enjoy the sport using these high performance boards.

Tourists get the opportunity to test ride the boards through rentals at Alive Surf School but are also available for purchasing direct from their 16,000 sqft factory in Coleraine.

The team of designers, engineers and sales team are making and selling boards which are currently being used by surfers in France, Spain, Norway, Portugal, Holland as well as in surf schools in the UK and Ireland.

The concept was developed because Ricky, who owns Alive Surf School in Portrush, believes surfboards should be made in a way which doesn’t require the time, money and maintenance after every season as foam boards notoriously get damaged. Waves may break – but Skunkworks surfboards won’t.

During the season, our coast attracts surfers from all corners and giving their customers the ultimate experience with the Skunkworks Surf Co boards is Alive Surf School based at West Strand.

As two brothers, who have grown up on the North Coast, they are making huge waves globally and are advocates of encouraging people of all ages, and of all abilities, to get into the water and enjoy surfing.

Live It Experience It’ is a group of tourism businesses working together to promote our region through water, air and land based activities, food and drink and great places to stay. If you would like to become a member business in our ‘Live It Experience It’ cluster please submit your information through our online form – Sign Up Here. Pitch your business and meet like minded tourism businesses who you could cluster with. #liveitexperienceit

Chris and Ricky Martin

"Everything about Skunkworks is about innovation. We like to think outside of the box. The Live It Experience It concept is the same. We are all businesses working together to succeed and the Live It Experience It approach is telling our visitors what there is on offer from our region. We are delighted to be part of Live It Experience It because our business is part of the Northern Ireland story and we are delighted to share ours with everyone. It's amazing that tourists coming to the region get to surf on our surfboards and paddleboards."